The way I see it is if you are a foreigner and renting out a condo you are earning money in Thailand so that means an income, a business, tax owed and a work permit. How can you earn money in Thailand and not be liable? Thousands are getting away with it though.

With that logic they need to be shutting down major condo projects and hotels owned by foreigners because the owners don't have work permits.

The way I see it is if you are a foreigner and renting out a condo you are earning money in Thailand so that means an income, a business, tax owed and a work permit. How can you earn money in Thailand and not be liable? Thousands are getting away with it though.

With that logic they need to be shutting down major condo projects and hotels owned by foreigners because the owners don't have work permits.

No, the type of projects you mention all have 51% Thai ownership.

bobobo, what immigration office was this?

Chunburi

Thank you.

The remaining question now is: did the Chonburi immigration office refuse to give this man his retirement extension? In other words, is there a problem with which he needs help?

I was turned away twice today at the Chon Buri Immigration Office because my condo owner that I rent from doesn't have a work permit. It's a no go for change of visa to a Non O based on retirement.

The way I see it is if you are a foreigner and renting out a condo you are earning money in Thailand so that means an income, a business, tax owed and a work permit. How can you earn money in Thailand and not be liable? Thousands are getting away with it though.

With that logic they need to be shutting down major condo projects and hotels owned by foreigners because the owners don't have work permits.

No, the type of projects you mention all have 51% Thai ownership.

Yeah, but where are the work permits?

Foreign condo and hotel owners would have set up legitimate business's and be fully legit in order to build. Just like individual condo owners need to be to rent out there premises. There's nothing stopping people buying condos to live in them themselves.

Exactly, if you have a legit company structure, paid up capital and Thai partners, work permits are easily obtainable.

In my opinion, an immigration officer who asks an applicant for an extension of stay for a copy of the work permit of the foreigner from whom he is renting a condo is abusing his authority. Has anybody called the immigration helpline on 1178 about this?

Imagine what would happen to condo sales to foreigners if potential buyers were informed prior to purchase that in practice they will never be allowed to offer the property for rent.

Exactly, if you have a legit company structure, paid up capital and Thai partners, work permits are easily obtainable.

If the Condo is company owned wouldn't the company be the one renting it out ?

Exactly, if you have a legit company structure, paid up capital and Thai partners, work permits are easily obtainable.

If the Condo is company owned wouldn't the company be the one renting it out ?

I would imagine so, but there are companies and there are companies. An earlier poster asked how overseas companies obtained their work permit so my reply was aimed at that aspect. Clearly, a large multi-national or even a substantive overseas company would rent their units through their company and pay taxes on income etc. One wonders if the same were entirely true of the average expat who forms a Thai company just to rent out a single condo, my immediate thought is that is merely a vehicle to obtain rent, whether or not income is declared and taxes paid is another story.